Collapsible ironing table



P 1, 1951 w. ANDERSON 2,567,538

COLLAPSIBLE IRONING TABLE Filed April 12, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l J'WEUZUF \A/ALTER L. Alvosksolv W. L. ANDERSON COLLAPSIBLE IRONING TABLE Sept.11, 195 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 12, 1947 fiifar' \A/ALTER L.ANDERSON i atented Sept.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,567,538 COLLAPSIBLE IBONING TABLE WalterL. Anderson, Wichita, Kans. Application April '12, 1947, Serial No.741,032

1 Claim. 1 c

This invention relates to ironing tables and the like, and moreparticularly to an ironin table or the like which is adapted to befolded when not in use and to a collapsible support link therefor.

Previous ironingtables of the foldable type have frequently involvedrelatively complex mechanisms and many have not been sufficientlyeconomical and simple in installation and operation.

In accordance with my present invention, I provide a collapsible ironingtable which may be housed compactly in a relatively small convenientcabinet. To place my ironing table in operation, it is merely necessaryto open the cabinet door and lift upwardly on the free end of the table.The table is automatically locked in the horizontal position withoutfurther manipulation thereof. For collapsin the ironing table, it ismerely necessary to squeeze together the two arms of my novel supportlink and guide the board to inoperative position.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a foldableironing table or the like adapted to be entirely contained within acompact cabinet.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide a foldableironing table or the like which is automatically locked upon raising bya simple, inexpensive and effective support link.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide a novelsupport link for folding equipment.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simple, rugged,easily operated, and :inexpensive folding ironing table assembly :whichmay be attached as a unit to a wall or the like.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and accompanying drawings.

On the drawings:

Figure'l is a perspective view of a folding iron ing table assemblyembodying the principles of my present invention, with the ironing tablefolded into inoperative position within the cabinet and the cabinetclosed;

Figure 2 is a plan view of my ironing table assembly with the cabinetopened and the ironing table in extended or operative position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line III- 1H of Figure 2 showing the ironing table in extendedor operative position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along theline IV aIV of Figure '1 2 showing the ironing table in closed orinoperative position within the closed cabinet;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary enlarged longitudinal sectional view takensubstantially along the line V V of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken substantiallyalong the line VI-VI of Figure 3 looking at the ironing table from belowin extended or operative position.

As shown on the drawings:

As illustrated in Figure 1, the foldable ironing table assembly of mypresent invention com prises a cabinet 10 preferably of, lightweightsheet metal construction adapted to be secured to a wall (not shown) orthe like. Said cabinet l0 includes a hinged door H having a handle I2secured adjacent the unhinged edge thereof, a back member l3 and sideright angle members l4 and I5 (Figure 3-) serving to define the cabinet.Right angle top and bottom members 16 and H respectively serve asfurther closures of the cabinet and also serve as reinforcements of thecabinet and particularly serve to reinforce attachments of the cabinetto a wall or the like (Figure 4).

As seen in Figures'l, 3 and vi, the top closure member [6 has an openingIS in the upright portion thereof and the bottom right angle reinforcingmember ll has a hole I9 therein, which holes is and I9 are in alignmentwith holes 20 and '2! in the back member 13, respectively. Suitablemeans, as for instance, wood screws, may be employed in conjunction withholes 18-20 and l9--2-l for attaching the cabinet to a wall or the like.Further provisions for at:- tachment a reinforcement may be provided asnecessary.

As shown in Figure 4, a central portion of the back member 13 extendsupwardly above the horizontal closure portion :22 of the top member Hito reinforce the vertical support portions 23 of the top member l6 andis indicated by the reference numeral :24. Likewise the back defininportions '25 and 2 5 .of the side members I4 and I5, respectively,extend upwardly to form further reinforcement for the vertical attachingportion 23 of the top member It. The sidecglosure defining portion 21and '28 of the side members l4 and [5, respectively, are turned inwardlyat the top as indicated by the reference numerals 29Land 39 to providereinforcement of the "horizontal closure portion 2210f the top member116 (Figure 3) The cabinet door H is bent inwardly at the 55. hingededge and the closure edge portions :81

and 32, respectively, for strength, attractiveness and to provide a moreample interior space for the ironing table when folded. Thhorizontalclosure portion 22 of the top member l6 conforms to thisconfiguration of the door II to form a good closure at the top of thecabinet. The door is further reinforced by means of right anglereinforcing ribs 33, 34 and 35 extending laterally of the (1001 at thetop edge thereof, centraily thereof and at the bottom edge thereof, asbest seen in Figures 2 and 4. The reinforcing ribs 33, 34 and 35 arebent to conform with the configuration of the door, as shown in Figure2.

As indicated in Figure 3, the edge portions of the door H are turnedinwardly for further reinforcement thereof as generally indicated by thereference numeral 36. As indicated in Figure 6,

the side defining portions 21 and 28 are turned inwardly, particularlyfor reinforcement for the hinges, as indicated by the reference numeral31. As seen in' Figures 3 and 4, the ironing table 38 is pivotallymounted at the top of the cabinet by means of a pivot bar 39 supportedat its end by bearing members 40 and 4| (Figure 3). The bearings members40 and 4| are secured to the side defining portions 21 and 28 of theright angle side members I4 and I5 in any suitable manner (Figure 6).Thus when the cabinet door ii is opened, the ironing table 38 may beunfolded or pivoted from folded inoperative position (Figure 4) intounfolded operative position as shown in Figure 2.

A novel rest for the iron, indicated by the reference numeral 42, may beprovided. The iron rest has a pair of identical flanges or legsprojecting in opposite directions from the opposite ends of the rest, asindicated by the reference numerals 43 and 44 (Figure 5). Thus, eitheriron rest surface 45 or 46 may be employed as the top surface forreceiving the iron. With the leg 44 for supporting the top surface 45 atone end resting upon the ironing table 38 and the other end portion ofthe rest 42 resting on the horizontal closure portion 22 of the topmember l6, for example, the oppositely projecting flange 43 serves as astop'for the iron. Alternately the flange 43 may rest upon the ironingtable 38 and the flange 44 serve as an iron stop with the surface 46receiving the iron. It is therefore unnecessary for the user to select aparticular surface and a particular leg or flange to rest on the ironingtable, since either surface is suitable. The flanges 43 and 44 are ofsomewhat greater height than the height of the horizontal closureportion 22 above the surface 41 of the ironing table so that eithersurface 45 or 46 will tend to slope toward the respective iron stop.flange 43 or 44 whereby the iron will tend to slide along the surface45 or 46 toward the iron stops 43 or 44, respectively, and will not slipoff the iron rest surface 45 or 46.

The ironing table is of the usual configuration for such devices and hasa downturned flange 48 around the entire border thereof forreinforcement thereof. As seen in Figure 6, for further reinforcement ofthe table longitudinal right angle reinforcing ribs 49 and 50 on oneside and 5| and 52 on the other side, and transverse U- shapedreinforcing ribs 53 separating longitudinal ribs 49 and 56, and 5| and52 are provided:

Referring to Figure 5, the reinforcing ribs have a number of holes 54therein for receiving:

the lacings of a clothcover (not shown) for the ironing table. Theseholes greatly enhance'the utility of the table especially in view offormer 4, haphazard methods for attaching the cloth to an ironing table.

The novel folding linkage of my invention will now be described. As bestseen in Figures 3 and 6, the back closure portion 24 of the back member|3 has a pair of inturned track defining flanges 55 and 56 at rightangles thereto. These inwardly projecting track defining flanges 55 and56 have right angle inturned opposed guide flanges 51 and 58 at rightangles thereto. A U- shaped link member having a pair of legs 60 and 6|joined by a journal portion 62 is pivotally attached to the ironingtable undersurface 63 by means of a metal strip 64 formed to provide abearing for the journal portion 62 of the U member 59. At the free endsof the legs 60 and 6| are a pair of outturned right angle feet orflanges 65 and 66, respectively, which are adapted to slide in theopposed tracks generally designated by the reference numerals 61 and 68provided by the track deflning flange 55 and guide flange 51, and trackdefining flange 56 and guide flange 58, respectively.

As shown in Figures 3 and 6, in unfolded operative position of theironing table 38, the opposed outwardly extending feet or flanges 65 and66 of the U member are adapted to project outwardly from the trackdefining flange portion 55 and 56 through. a pair of openings 69 and 10therein. With the feet 65 and 66 in this position, it will be understoodthat the ironing table is rigidly supported against both upward anddownward pivotal motion by means of the U linkage member 59, since thefeet 65 and 66 are locked by means of the openings 69 and 10 againstmovement in any direction except inwardly. Since the U member 59 is soformed that the legs normally assume the spread position, shown inFigure 3,- and are formed of a springy material, the legs resilientlyresist inward movement of the feet 65 and 66. It is thus apparent thatthe support linkage 59 will remain in this normal spread position withthe feet 65 and 66 locked in the openings 69 and 10 until they arepositively squeezed or compressed inwardly out of engagement with theopenings 69 and 10. The ironing table 38 then may be guided downwardlyto fold about its pivot bar 39, the feet 65 and 66 sliding downwardlyalongthe tracks 61 and 68 into folded inoperative position shown inFigure 4 and assuming a position at the bottom of the cabinet. In thisposition it will be understood that the legs 60 and 6| are held in aninwardly compressed position due to the bearing of the feet 65 and 66against the track defining portions 55 and 56.

In order to unfold the ironing table into operative position from itsinoperative position shown in Figure 4, it is merely necessary, once thecabinet door is open, to grasp the iron table at a point somewhat remotefrom the pivoted end, and pull outwardly and lift upwardly to pivot theironing table about its pivot bar 39. As the ironing table is pivoted,it will be understood that the legs 66 and 6| of the U linkage 59 willslide upwardly in the tracks 61 and 68 with the feet 65 and 66 bearingagainst the track defining portions 55 and 56, until when the ironingtable reaches the horizontal operative position, the feet 65 and 66register with the openings 69 and 16 and are urged resiliently thereintoto automatically lock the ironingtable in horizontal operative position.It should be understood that the resilient force urging the legs 66 and6| apart is sufficient in itself to snap the feet 65 and 66 into theopenings 69 and without fail immediately upon registry therewith, andfurthermore that the legs 60 and BI are held apart against inwardcompression with suflicient force so that there is no danger of the feet65 and 66 becoming disengaged with their respective openings withoutpositive manipulation. The ironing table is thus securely locked" andrigidly held against any movement.

The support linkage member 59 is so designed with respect to the ironingtable and with respect to the tracks 51 and 58 that it furnishes a veryrugged support for the ironing table. Furthermore, the ironing table dueto its rigid reinforcement by means of ribs 49, 50, 5| and 52, and rib53 and the' downturned boundary flange 48 is held rigid and will resistdeflecting or bending thereof.

It will be appreciated that this folding linkage including a U member 59and tracks 61 and 68 with openings 69 and 10 therein is an extremelysimple, efficient and economical arrangement for permitting folding ofobjects such as ironing boards, particularly when such objects are to besustained by means of a cabinet within a wall or the like. It istherefore not the purpose to limit the application of this linkagesystem to an ironing board, since this linkage would be equallyeffective for other applications, such as folding benches and tables.

The cabinet door I I may be held in closed position by means -of anysuitable spring closure piece as desired.

It will thus be" apparent that I have provided an iron table assemblycompactly housed, rugged, economical and extremely simple of operation.The assembly may be delivered to the user in completely assembled andoperative condition, so that all that is necessary is the attachment ofthe cabinet intoposition for use.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied to a wide range without departing from the principles ofthis invention, and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of theappended claim.

I claim as my invention:

A collapsible ironing table assembly comprising a support structureincluding a back member and a pair of side members, an ironing tableboard, a downwardly extending portion around the border of said ironingboard and having apertures at opposite sides of one end thereof, abearing member secured to each of said side members and facing saidapertures, a pivotal rod extending through said apertures and pivotalwithin said bearing members for pivotally mounting said ironing board, aU-shaped support rod pivotally mounted at its bight on the bottomsurface of said ironing board, a pair of guide members having lockingapertures and disposed vertically on said back member and projectingoutwardly therefrom having flanged portions parallel to and spaced fromsaid back member and spaced from each other thereby defining a guidepassageway, and projections on the free end of said U-shaped support rodslidable in said guide passageway and movable into locking apertures ofsaid guide members for locking the table in the operative position.

WALTER L. ANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,289,739 Hahn Dec. 31, 19181,632,939 Williams June 21, 1927 2,201,701 Newstrom May 21, 19402,264,678 Pryne Dec. 2, 1941

